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Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Why you hire a professional photographer! Please read
Wedding News & Analysis: Assets of Bella Pictures sold to CPI, a subsidiary of Wal-Mart and Sears
Posted: 29 Jan 2011 10:19 AM PST
Bella Pictures at work
Readers of The Wedding Marketing Blog know that I’ve been no fan of Bella Pictures and its business model. Research of customer satisfaction via wedding message boards and services such as Yelp! demonstrate that customer satisfaction with Bella Pictures is an inverted bell curve. Lots of lows and highs. Not much in the middle.
In reading customer evaluations, one must realize that any praise and dissatisfaction is directed in several directions. The sales process, the company sales representative, the photographer, and the finished product. Sometimes, the comments name specific people. Mostly, the comments (good or bad) reference the company, Bella Pictures.
For those unaware of Bella Pictures, their business model is this: Bella Pictures is, essentially, a polished internet marketing store front that services as a sales service to the bride, and booking agent to independent photographers. Assignments are bid out to photographers as the wedding day approaches. Reality is that the bride may get a highly skilled photographer or a rookie. Hence, the wild swing in customer satisfaction.
This blog has railed against Bella’s misrepresentations in the media (TV) and on their website (awards), and fuzzy math… among others. The latter, continues to misrepresent, as of this posting.
About the sale:
You may hear that Bella Pictures was sold to Wal-Mart and Sears. That representation is not quite accurate. In fact, the assets of Bella Pictures was sold to CPI, a subsidiary of Wal-Mart and Sears. CPI offers boilerplate portrait photography at Wal-Mart and Sears at over 3000 locations.
Here is the official statement:
We are pleased to announce the acquisition of Bella Pictures assets by a subsidiary of CPI Corp, the nation’s leading provider of studio and portrait photography with over 3,000 studios across North America. CPI is excited to work with the photography and video communities to grow the superb base of talent established by Bella Pictures.
The digital capabilities and infrastructure of CPI combined with Bella’s talented network of photographers and filmmakers will help us achieve our shared mission of providing high quality, high value photography and video services to thousands of additional couples in a vastly expanded number of markets across the country.
What does this mean for you?
· Future growth of the business leading to more assignments
· Planning and assignment of the 2011 season will continue without disruption through the Assignment Desk
· There will be no disruption in the pay cycle
We look forward to sharing more details about the future opportunity that this acquisition will provide, and to growing the Bella business with you.
News Analysis and Opinion:
Bella Picture’s Assets: What does that mean, exactly? High-tech equipment, the business name and reputation, existing marketing, company procedures, past client list, existing photography contracts, roster of freelance photographers?????
First off, existing photography contracts are not an asset; they are a liability.
My sense is that CPI sees value in the marketing and outreach of Bella Pictures. CPI appears, currently, to offer on-premise portraiture. The acquisition would appear to be an attempt to widen their scope to off-premise photography at weddings and perhaps other events.
Ruthless Opinion:
What this means for the bride, other photographers, and the wedding industry
From my personal experience, working as a DJ Entertainer at close to 1000 weddings, I assert that there is no other bride-vendor relationship that requires positive personal chemistry than the bride-photographer. I’m certain that a poll of day-of wedding professionals would provide the same conclusion.
From that premise, the business model of having a photographer, assigned to the bride and groom, without a face-to-face meeting, was/is a flawed proposition. If CPI, for whatever reason, believes they can leverage this clunky model via Wal-Mart and Sears, they are employing wishful thinking.
This is not a shot at ALL big businesses. I’m a huge fan of some big businesses and a detractor of others. However, some business-customer relationships work better when the service is supplied by a small business. We would like to believe that all our sales become relationships, but most wedding sales are transactional, one-time propositions. A photographer, more than most, should have a connection and chemistry, with the client, that is more than transactional.
For photographers: (Andy’s snarky response to the bride) “You’re thinking of having your photography service from Wal-Mart? Are you looking to them for their reputation of fabulous personal service? I’m sure they’ll be worth every nickel.”
For Bella Pictures business partners: Shame on Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, Maggiano’s Little Italy, and Kimpton Hotels for being ‘partnered’ with Bella Pictures. These are, otherwise, excellent companies that have, in my view, put a financial relationship with Bella Pictures above the best interests of the bride. It occurs to me that these companies may think twice about being partnered with CPI, a photography service, based in Sears and Wal-Mart.
Final Analysis:
I think this acquisition may find some audience; however, in the main, I predict it will be a dismal failure.
When it comes to the documentation of a wedding, there is no greater asset than the vision and artistry of a great wedding photographer.
Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority
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Posted: 29 Jan 2011 10:19 AM PST
Bella Pictures at work
Readers of The Wedding Marketing Blog know that I’ve been no fan of Bella Pictures and its business model. Research of customer satisfaction via wedding message boards and services such as Yelp! demonstrate that customer satisfaction with Bella Pictures is an inverted bell curve. Lots of lows and highs. Not much in the middle.
In reading customer evaluations, one must realize that any praise and dissatisfaction is directed in several directions. The sales process, the company sales representative, the photographer, and the finished product. Sometimes, the comments name specific people. Mostly, the comments (good or bad) reference the company, Bella Pictures.
For those unaware of Bella Pictures, their business model is this: Bella Pictures is, essentially, a polished internet marketing store front that services as a sales service to the bride, and booking agent to independent photographers. Assignments are bid out to photographers as the wedding day approaches. Reality is that the bride may get a highly skilled photographer or a rookie. Hence, the wild swing in customer satisfaction.
This blog has railed against Bella’s misrepresentations in the media (TV) and on their website (awards), and fuzzy math… among others. The latter, continues to misrepresent, as of this posting.
About the sale:
You may hear that Bella Pictures was sold to Wal-Mart and Sears. That representation is not quite accurate. In fact, the assets of Bella Pictures was sold to CPI, a subsidiary of Wal-Mart and Sears. CPI offers boilerplate portrait photography at Wal-Mart and Sears at over 3000 locations.
Here is the official statement:
We are pleased to announce the acquisition of Bella Pictures assets by a subsidiary of CPI Corp, the nation’s leading provider of studio and portrait photography with over 3,000 studios across North America. CPI is excited to work with the photography and video communities to grow the superb base of talent established by Bella Pictures.
The digital capabilities and infrastructure of CPI combined with Bella’s talented network of photographers and filmmakers will help us achieve our shared mission of providing high quality, high value photography and video services to thousands of additional couples in a vastly expanded number of markets across the country.
What does this mean for you?
· Future growth of the business leading to more assignments
· Planning and assignment of the 2011 season will continue without disruption through the Assignment Desk
· There will be no disruption in the pay cycle
We look forward to sharing more details about the future opportunity that this acquisition will provide, and to growing the Bella business with you.
News Analysis and Opinion:
Bella Picture’s Assets: What does that mean, exactly? High-tech equipment, the business name and reputation, existing marketing, company procedures, past client list, existing photography contracts, roster of freelance photographers?????
First off, existing photography contracts are not an asset; they are a liability.
My sense is that CPI sees value in the marketing and outreach of Bella Pictures. CPI appears, currently, to offer on-premise portraiture. The acquisition would appear to be an attempt to widen their scope to off-premise photography at weddings and perhaps other events.
Ruthless Opinion:
What this means for the bride, other photographers, and the wedding industry
From my personal experience, working as a DJ Entertainer at close to 1000 weddings, I assert that there is no other bride-vendor relationship that requires positive personal chemistry than the bride-photographer. I’m certain that a poll of day-of wedding professionals would provide the same conclusion.
From that premise, the business model of having a photographer, assigned to the bride and groom, without a face-to-face meeting, was/is a flawed proposition. If CPI, for whatever reason, believes they can leverage this clunky model via Wal-Mart and Sears, they are employing wishful thinking.
This is not a shot at ALL big businesses. I’m a huge fan of some big businesses and a detractor of others. However, some business-customer relationships work better when the service is supplied by a small business. We would like to believe that all our sales become relationships, but most wedding sales are transactional, one-time propositions. A photographer, more than most, should have a connection and chemistry, with the client, that is more than transactional.
For photographers: (Andy’s snarky response to the bride) “You’re thinking of having your photography service from Wal-Mart? Are you looking to them for their reputation of fabulous personal service? I’m sure they’ll be worth every nickel.”
For Bella Pictures business partners: Shame on Marriott, Renaissance Hotels, Maggiano’s Little Italy, and Kimpton Hotels for being ‘partnered’ with Bella Pictures. These are, otherwise, excellent companies that have, in my view, put a financial relationship with Bella Pictures above the best interests of the bride. It occurs to me that these companies may think twice about being partnered with CPI, a photography service, based in Sears and Wal-Mart.
Final Analysis:
I think this acquisition may find some audience; however, in the main, I predict it will be a dismal failure.
When it comes to the documentation of a wedding, there is no greater asset than the vision and artistry of a great wedding photographer.
Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority
Share on Facebook
$2,000 wedding package winner
We got all of the slips and final email entries in early so we are posting our winner now....
And the winner is, Lisa Pastella of Towson Maryland, getting married this coming November.
Lisa has until noon on Wednesday February 2nd to get in touch with us at our email address at info@billrettberg.com, or call us at 410-893-3620.
Congratulations to Lisa, and thanks to all who entered.
We congratulate all of you on your upcoming weddings, and wish all of you a life of love and happiness.
If professional wedding photography is still in your planning, take advantage of our no obligation presentation in your home.
You can learn about us also by going to our e-brochure at www.pibyrettbergbrochure.com
Again, congratulations to Lisa Pastella.
And the winner is, Lisa Pastella of Towson Maryland, getting married this coming November.
Lisa has until noon on Wednesday February 2nd to get in touch with us at our email address at info@billrettberg.com, or call us at 410-893-3620.
Congratulations to Lisa, and thanks to all who entered.
We congratulate all of you on your upcoming weddings, and wish all of you a life of love and happiness.
If professional wedding photography is still in your planning, take advantage of our no obligation presentation in your home.
You can learn about us also by going to our e-brochure at www.pibyrettbergbrochure.com
Again, congratulations to Lisa Pastella.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Drawing for $2,000 wedding package fast approaching
For all brides who have entered for Positive Images by Rettberg's wedding package giveaway, remember it will be posted at 12 noon on Tuesday February 1st.
The Package includes:
5 hours of wedding day coverage,
an album of all highlight images of the wedding,
a hi resolution cd of all images taken,
website posting of your wedding images,
11x14 wall portrait of your favorite image...
Brides who have signed up at any shows we have been at in January are automatically registered.
If you did not sign up at one of the shows, but would like to participate, just email Positive Images by Rettberg
at info@billrettberg.com and give us your name and wedding date.. we will put your name in the pot.
Remember that the winner must contact us within 24 hours of the posting on Tuesday, or we will draw another name.
Good luck to all!
The Package includes:
5 hours of wedding day coverage,
an album of all highlight images of the wedding,
a hi resolution cd of all images taken,
website posting of your wedding images,
11x14 wall portrait of your favorite image...
Brides who have signed up at any shows we have been at in January are automatically registered.
If you did not sign up at one of the shows, but would like to participate, just email Positive Images by Rettberg
at info@billrettberg.com and give us your name and wedding date.. we will put your name in the pot.
Remember that the winner must contact us within 24 hours of the posting on Tuesday, or we will draw another name.
Good luck to all!
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Monday, December 13, 2010
Historic London Town & Positive Images by Rettberg
Waterfront venues for weddings are among the most sought after locations for couples seeking beautiful and unique styling for their big day.
Positive Images by Rettberg has recently been introduced to a real gem of a location, Historic London Town and Gardens, www.historiclondontown.org, just outside of Annapolis in Edgewater Maryland.It is truly one of the most beautiful,dynamic, and functional locations we've ever seen for weddings.
London Town sits on 23 acres along the South River, featuring historical buildings, outdoor deck overlooking the river, charming trails with bridges and gazeboes winding through scrupulously manicured wooded areas.
Jean Shea, Director of Sales since July has embarked on a major marketing campaign to bring London Town to a wider base of couples seeking a wow experience. Jean says that even people living in the area are not aware of the location, an oversight she fully intends to correct.
There are multiple areas to hold a wedding ceremony including the historic William Brown House, a charming 18th century brick structure with its own stunning setting along the river. There is even a pier on the river, for those wanting to come by boat.
The reception facility itself is a combination of a permanent building, and a tent, or tents set up to accomodate up to 150 comfortably, but with an expansion capability of over 200. A great benefit is that you buy London Town for the day, with a block of up to nine hours. No other affairs will interfere with your experience.
London Town provides the tents, chairs and two on site managers the day of the affair.
A list of preferred caterers is at the couples disposal, and the caterers themselves are responsible for all aspects from cooking to cleaning up. Clients are allowed to provide their own alcohol if they wish.
Jean has had over 250 inquiries since taking the reins, and once she can get a prospective client on location, they are sold. Needless to say, this hidden gem will not stay in the shadows for much longer.
Positive Images by Rettberg, a professional wedding photographer serving Baltimore, Annapolis, and DC is sold on Jean and London Town, and enthusiastically endorses this venue for couples in any of the three metro areas.
Contact Jean Shea at 410-222-1919 x203, or email her directly at jeanshea@historiclondontown.org to arrange your personal tour of the grounds.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Special offer for brides to be
Positive Images by Rettberg, baltimore's leading wedding photographer with over 41 years of experience, and over 2,800 brides and grooms photographed is offering a wonderful new service to couples planning a wedding.
Print out this blog entry, and present it at your in home presentation with Positive Images by Rettberg, and if you book any coverage with us, receive a
THis offer is only valid with this blog entry, so remember to print it out.
ALSO!
Good through December 31, 2010 redeem this notice for $100 off any of our regular coverages.
This offer does not apply to the internet special found at www.pibyrettbergbrochure.com.
Positive Images by Rettberg hopes that you will take advantage of these offers.
Check us out at the following 2011 bridal shows:
January 8 & 9 at the Timonium Bridal show...
January 21 at Turf Valley Resort, Ellicott City...
January 29 & 30 at THe Cloisters Castle Open House...
January 30 at Celebrations at the Bay...
February 19 at Signture Catering's Preston Room, Baltimore
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